Bella Vista, AR Tornado History — 120 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Bella Vista, AR had?
Bella Vista has had 120 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 9 strong to violent (EF3+) tornadoes.
When was the most recent tornado near Bella Vista?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Bella Vista was an EF1 on June 18, 2025.
When is tornado season in Bella Vista?
May is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Bella Vista, with 37 on record. April through June account for 75 of the 120 tornadoes on record near Bella Vista.
At a Glance
Recent Tornado Activity Near Bella Vista
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 63 total, averaging 3.1 per year over this window.
What storm spotters reported near Bella Vista
6 local storm reports have been filed within 25 miles of Bella Vista and since confirmed into the NOAA archive, the earliest on April 29, 2025 and the most recent on June 17, 2025. They are already counted in the Bella Vista totals above; quoted below is the narrative each reporting office filed at the time.
Corrects previous tstm wnd dmg report from 2 W Vaughn. Emergency manager reports 3 homes with significant damage. Several other homes with minor damage. Several chicken (TSA)
A tornado uprooted numerous trees... blew down power poles... and damaged a couple outbuildings. (TSA)
Corrects previous tornado report from Wheaton. An NWS Survey concluded that an EF1 tornado with up to 95 mph winds began at the Body of Christ church on the southwest s (SGF)
An NWS survey found that an EF0 tornado began at 8:35 AM on April 29 near Boulder City Missouri in Newton County. A weak tornado damage numerous trees with some being u (SGF)
An EF1 tornado was confirmed with maximum winds in the range of 95 to 105 mph on the north side of Gravette. Uprooted and snapped trees and damage to homes were observe (TSA)
A tornado uprooted a few trees and snapped numerous large tree limbs. Based on this damage... it was rated EF1. (TSA)
Source: National Weather Service and trained-spotter local storm reports, relayed by the NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
Tornadoes by Decade
Tornadoes by Enhanced Fujita Rating
F0–F5 ratings (pre-2007) are grouped with their EF equivalents. The Enhanced Fujita scale replaced the original Fujita scale in February 2007.
Tornadoes by Month
Casualties on Record Near Bella Vista
8 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Bella Vista since 1950, across 5 events. 140 injuries have been reported across all events. 2010 was the deadliest year on record near Bella Vista.
The deadliest single event was an EF3 on December 31, 2010, which caused 4 fatalities along a 21.1-mile track.
Notable Tornadoes Near Bella Vista
What the record shows near Bella Vista
The 2010s were the busiest decade near Bella Vista, with 30 of the 120 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2020s have produced 23 so far. The Bella Vista record runs from the 1950s to today.
Of the tornadoes rated near Bella Vista, 89 reached EF0 or EF1 and 31 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Bella Vista is rated EF3, of which 9 are logged.
Across the last 20 years Bella Vista has averaged 3.1 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 63 in total. 2008 was the busiest of them with 10, and 4 of those years passed with none at all.